


The Opened Way

by kodaandorion



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, original adventure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 19:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13441938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kodaandorion/pseuds/kodaandorion
Summary: The plan was a simple visit to the planet Yuelia, a beautiful forest planet home to the Luparstie – a race of Druids and Shamans who dedicate their life to preserving nature and wildlife. But something has altered their traditions, and the looming mystery to discover what has changed these people must be unlocked as the Doctor, Amy and Rory face challenges never before endured. The race to find Paradise begins.An original Doctor Who adventure, taking place between "A Christmas Carol" and "The Impossible Astronaut." Currently for general audiences but maturity age will likely increase as story is updated.





	The Opened Way

**Author's Note:**

> Rather recently I started getting back into Doctor Who. My family started watching Series 5 and I soon fell back in love, though not so much after Series 8 with Capaldi. In particular, I found a strong attatchment to the Eleventh Doctor. I was inspired by his wisdom and laughed at his childishness.
> 
> There feels like there just isn't enough of him. So I decided to create my own adventure. This originally stood as a depressing one-off involving an original companion, but after reading another original adventure story I wanted to make one too. The series derived ideas from other episodes, the anime "Wolf's Rain" and the video game "Shadow of the Colossus" to create... this.
> 
> I also debated keeping this anonymous but I've found myself highly proud of this and kept it in my name.
> 
> I'm not sure how active the fandom is here on AO3. Guess I'll find out. But please enjoy!

Amy Pond was lost.

She had been trekking down the corridors for what felt like an hour now, looking from room to room. She had passed the swimming pool twice now – no, three times, she thought rather angrily as she poked her head in a room and the smell of chlorine filled her nose. She backed out with a tut of annoyance and headed down the stretch of corridor again. Her ginger hair flowed behind her as she strode down another familiar corridor once more, then stopped in her treks and stared up to the ceiling.

“Are you playing games with me?” She asked the TARDIS, “Or is this some elaborate prank from the Doctor?”

There was no noise from the TARDIS. She tutted and folded her arms.

“Alright, alright,” she mumbled, “I’m sorry that I sprayed water all over the console. It won’t happen again.”

The room hummed in response and suddenly a figure popped up round the corner. A young looking man almost crashed into her, his floppy brown hair over his face. With a yelp, he backed up and grinned, twitching his red bow tie.

“There you are, Pond,” he grinned fondly, “Did you get lost?”

“The TARDIS was messing with me again,” Amy replied, rolling her eyes and fiddling with the sleeve of her check shirt.

“Changing the corridor layout again, are we?” The Doctor scolded the TARDIS loudly, hitting his palm on the walls as he led Amy out the corridors and back into the control room. He danced around the console and Amy sat down on one of the seats, watching him go.

“Where’s Rory?” She asked.

“Still in bed, I presume,” the Doctor replied, “What is it with you humans and _sleeping_? You spend eight hours a day lying in a bed doing _nothing._ In an empty state where you don’t think or choose or… or anything! How dull is that?”

“I agree with you, Doctor,” Amy replied with a soft grin, “But it’s kinda hard to stay awake after _one_ adventure with you.”

“And why’s that? Perfectly easy. I do it all the time."

“Because of all the running we do,” said another voice. Rory descended down the steps, his hand ruffling through his brown-blonde hair, “Not to mention risking our lives, and escaping from big, bad monsters.”

“So that’s what you need, huh?” The Doctor said, his eyes flashing upwards to look at his companions, “A little relaxation from all the dangerous bits?”

He had that excited spark in his eye, and Amy knew it well – when he was explaining a plan, or defeating a monster with his killer conclusion, or setting off the TARDIS to a brand new planet they or he hadn’t been to before. She hopped off her chair with a grin and leaned across the console. “Where are you thinking?” She asked, "Or _when?_ "

He flashed a cheesy grin at her and spun around the console, flicking buttons and toggles.

“He’s got that look,” Rory said to Amy, nudging up beside her and gripping to the handrails.

“I know,” Amy smiled.

“And when he has that look… it means we’re gonna get into danger,” her husband continued, with a worried expression.

“No we won’t! I promise!” The Doctor beamed, pulling on the lever. The TARDIS shook and trembled as they spun through time and space.

“You always say that!” Rory yelled back.

The time machine continued to rock back and forth, with its occupants gripping onto the console tightly. The TARDIS wheezed and groaned, until finally shivering and coming to a stop. With a quick hop, the Doctor strode towards the doors and flung them open. Amy and Rory exchanged excited glances and chased after him. They stopped dead in their tracks as their jaws fell open in shock.

“Wow,” Amy gasped.

“It’s…” Rory began.

“I know,” the Doctor grinned.

They had entered a huge forest that looked like it had been dragged out of a storybook. The grass below their feet swayed in the gentle warm breeze, and ahead of them a huge lake lay dug into the dirt with still water. Brightly jewelled dragonflies whizzed across and cicadas chirped in the warm sunlight, with the sun above glistening into the water as if it was as still as ice. But the trees around them were the most stunning – glowing different colours of the rainbow, from a sea blue to sunset orange to deep purple.

“Yuelia!” The Doctor finally announced, springing forward and seizing a blade of grass. It shimmered in the light, almost letting out a mysterious golden glow, “The entire planet – one huge enchanted forest! Home to many different animals and creatures, but inhabitated by the Luparstie: a race of incredibly peaceful people, full of Shamans and Druids, aiming to protect the forests and the creatures.”

“And they live here?” Amy gasped lightly, “It’s… stunning.”

“Their hometown is wonderful too,” the Doctor continued, cupping water in his hand and smiling at a beaver-like creature swimming to him, “The market-walk stretches for half a mile, full of traders all over the galaxy. You _must_ try their juice here – Goldsun, it’s called, tastes like a wonder and gives you impossible visions.” He kissed the tips of his fingers and closed his eyes with a dreamy smile. “Nothing in the world like it.”

Rory seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, wanting to say something, then bravely spoke up, “Amy makes nice tea.”

“Aw,” Amy smiled, flinging an arm around him, “You think so?”

“It’s even better than Amy’s tea,” the Doctor said. Glancing round, he saw Amy and Rory’s insulted faces and smiled cheekily, “Almost, I suppose.”

“That’s more like it,” Amy nodded with a satisfied smile, “Let’s go then!”

“Right!” The Doctor replied, turning on his heel and clapping his hand. He led the way with an excited step in his walk.

“Doctor,” Rory called out, following in his path with Amy beside him.

“Yes?”

“You, uh… you mentioned something about Golden Sun or something that gives you ‘impossible visions’… what did you mean?”

“Goldsun, Rory, it’s Goldsun, do keep up,” the Doctor replied briskly. They trudged their way through a dirt path trailing through the forest, where wildlife bloomed around them – plants giving off strange energies that changed the mood around them, glowing bugs that smelt like fruits, Amy could swear she heard the trees whispering something but it was in a language she didn’t understand… but didn’t the TARDIS have a language translator?

“It’s a non-alcoholic beverage made by the people here,” the Doctor explained, “Named after its colour, as golden as the sun that shines. Tastes like heaven, all the most delicious fruits melted and mixed into one drink. If you drink it, you often might experience pleasant dreams when you sleep – a sub-species of Luparsite’s actually believe that these dreams guide you to your destiny, but most people have it for the lucid dream effect, or the happy feeling it gives you."

“You’ve had one before?” Amy asked curiously.

“One? I got into a drinking competition with a Sontaran. I beat him, of course, but I kept having strange visions for a fortnight – thought I was being constantly followed by an over-positive Dalek.”

“I thought they give you good visions?” Rory questioned.

The Doctor nodded, falling back now to walk in-between the two, and spoke fast and easily without pause nor stutter: “Yes, but too much of a drink cause paranoia. The drink is like a drug – increase the dopamine in your body, making you happy but it doesn’t have that addictive part nor the part where at the end you fall into a depression slump. But it does if you have too much of it, whether at once or all the time – too much dopamine makes you paranoid, but you’re still happy so it’ll create this weird situation of paranoia combined with something that makes you happy.”

“Alright,” Rory nodded slowly, “Okay. Now – explain all that 5 times slower.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and sighed. “Drink makes you happy, but too much drink also makes you scared. Better?”

“I hate it when he does that,” Rory muttered. Amy just snickered in response as the Doctor stepped up the pace again, weaving down the trail.

After nearly an hour of walking, the forest split open into a clearing where there was a large wooden gate with cut logs used for fences. Two guards stood ahead, wearing leather armour with finely detailed carvings on representing different animals – snakes, wolves, bears, dragons, the lot. Their hair was long and messy but not dirty, both coloured a deep bright red, with pale (almost silver) skin. They raised their spears in greeting as the three approached.

“Good afternoon,” the Doctor smiled warmly, “Or morning, actually. Is it morning?” He stuck his tongue out and smacked his lips lightly a couple times. “12:03pm, so yes, afternoon.”

“What brings you to the city of Rakuen?” One of the guards asked.

“Travelling,” he answered happily, “I’m taking my two friends here round the galaxy and thought I’d visit the land. Peaceful getaway for a day or two, you know?”

“Very well,” they answered, and the gates began to open, “Welcome to Rakuen.”

The Doctor grinned happily and strode in. “Come along, Ponds!”

They had walked straight into the market. The main road stretched on and on, with stores and stalls littered to the side-lines beside alleyways weaving past buildings to the homes. Aliens of many races were bustling through as they breezed through, talking and hissing and growling to each other. The stalls items ranged – from strange liquids in glass bottles that twinkled in the sunlight, to peculiar ornaments that moved on its own, to herbs and plants that many people were munching on. Ahead, in the distance, was a large castle which stood out among the smooth wood of the market. Trees and branches hung from buildings, growing over the paths and building roofs.

“Wow,” Amy breathed, taking it all in, “It’s so…”

“Strange,” the Doctor replied, “Very strange.”

He had that look on his face, confused and trying to figure something out. Amy and Rory knew it well, and she decided to take charge and led them to a bench on the side-lines. They sat down, watching the people mill around. The most common race was what she assumed to be Luparstie – some of them in common wool clothing, but some in leather or hide armour with carvings or equipment designed after animals. Their hair was always long and shaggy, but coloured unnatural colours – light green, pale red, bubble-gum pink, midnight blue, pure white. A few had intricate tattoos on their skin, but not many – usually just a marking on their cheek or forehead.

Amy and Rory waited for the Doctor as he sat thinking, then he leaned forward, watching the creatures pass by.

“This society is primitive when it comes to technology,” he explained slowly, “They dedicate themselves to nature, so use nature’s resources to make their homes. Buildings made of wood or stone… so why is that castle made of marble?”

Amy and Rory exchanged glances. “It’s new to you?” Amy asked.

“I’ve been here a few times – saved them from dangers a couple times, hence why I didn’t say my name… didn’t want to cause a ruckus. Up there used to be the main tribe where the Elder lives, a large group of tribal huts home to the leader of the whole city and its advisors. They wouldn’t just… just _forget_ all about their traditions. This society lives on its religion.”

“So it changed its ways a bit,” Amy shrugged, “They’re modernizing.”

“It’s not like that,” the Doctor insisted. He tapped his foot and continued: “Think of a really old building back on your hometown, like all those Tudor houses. You wouldn’t scrap it down and turn into a modern house, right?”

“Right,” Rory nodded, starting to get it now, “Because it’s a piece of history.”

“Exactly!” The Doctor nodded, pointing a finger at his companion, “Now you’re getting it! This whole city is an important part of history for them. Every building, every tree, every part of the road – it’s treading on history itself. It’s not in their way to tear it down.”

Amy nodded, understanding now. A thought occurred to her. “So… if the castle has changed, has the leader?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “Listen around you.”

They fell quiet and listened to the conversations around them. Two words kept cropping up: _king_ and _paradise._

“Okay,” the Doctor muttered, “So there’s a King now. That’s different. This is very strange.”

“I told you,” Rory complained, “I told you – it wasn’t going to be a peaceful vacation, it was going to be another run-from-the-monster adventure.”

“And that’s not fun?” The Doctor exclaimed, but he could see their annoyed expressions and smiled. “How about we play your favourite game then, huh?”

Amy loved this. It always cheered her up. They’d spend hours doing it – sitting in an alien city, pointing out a creature that caught their eye and the Doctor would talk about it. It was always interesting to hear about creatures she might never encounter again. Sometimes Rory would switch off after about an hour, but he was always as interested as Amy was.

“What about that one?” Amy said, pointing towards a blue and yellow creature that looked like a humanoid fly.

“Ah, Foccuns,” the Doctor said, hardly glancing at it, “Common creatures. Tinkerers, mainly – he’s probably here to buy or sell parts. I hired one to fix the TARDIS once – he wasn’t able to do it, but I paid him anyway. They’re usually decent characters, though a tad sarcastic.”

“How about him?” Rory said, taking his turn and pointing at a fleshy vulture with rich purple robes and a frilly white feathers round its neck.

“That? That’s a Shansheeth. They’re funeral directors – bringing home deceased heroes back to their homeland and holding honorary ceremonies. I met a group of them some time ago claiming I was dead, trying to get the TARDIS key… I mean, they could have at least _asked_ , right?”

“He looks interesting,” Amy said, nodding towards some sort of fleshy rhino in heavy armour.

“Judoon. Bit slow on the uptake, but they’re basically police for hire. The Shadow Proclamation tends to hire them when any of the laws are broken – _any_ of them, which is a lot seeing there’s 2366 articles…"

Rory took his turn, but Amy’s attention briefly diverted to another alien. He looked similar to the other Luparsties, with shaggy hair and leather armour and markings, but there was some differences: his skin was greyer and darker, his chair a charcoal grey. He moved through the crowd towards the castle with a sour expression.

The Doctor saw Amy’s distracted expression and asked what was wrong.

“He looks… funny,” she said, pointing at him, “Is he ill?”

“What? No, no. That’s the sub-species I told you about. I _did_ mention it, didn’t I? The one that believes in dreams and destinies? They’re called Dtrows. They’re a little bit shunned compared to their other Luparstie cousins.”

They watched him disappear through the crowd, then the Doctor slapped both his knees and stood up.

“Right then!” He proclaimed, “Enough dawdling.” He flashed a smile to his companions as they stood too. “Let’s go meet the King.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you want to see more by leaving some kudos or even a comment!


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